The Irish standard., 1887-09-03
FARGO.

FARGO.
Two decades have not yet elapsed
since this promising young city was al
most stranger to the white man and
civilization. Where to day stand mag
njficent blocks utilized for business
purposes only then stood the Indian
tepee. But with the white man came
civilization, and Door Lo does not take
kindly to civiliZing innovations, so he
he hauled down his tent and departed
towards the setting sun, taking with
him a scalp or so to remind him of the
''good old times" when scalps counted
for something. Sixteen years ago town
lots were held high in Moorhead, and
many persons crossed over Red River to
the west side, and erected a number of
log huts and tents. The settlement
was called "Fargo in the timber" 1t
was not long until postcffice was es-
tablished in order to accommodate the
large number of people who had ''come
to stay" Co. Kenny oficiated in the
honorable capacity of postmaster. lin
the timber was considered All unneces-
sary waste of words, so the settlement
was informally baptized Fargo. During
the Writer of 1872 quite sensation was
created 10y the discovery that the ''set-
Element" was within the Sisseton and
Wahpeton Indian reservation. aud that
in consequence thereof all persons in
the place not engaged in building the
Northern Pacific Railroad were tres
passers. This was a serious drawback
to the growth of the city. The Indian
reservation difficulty was satisfactorily
disposed of in the autumn of 1873, and
the original town site uf Fargo was
plated. The town was incorporated as
city in the winter OF 1S74,5. Then an
era of unprecedented prosperity set IN,
and from that day until the present it
has maintained it's grip, and is now a
thriving city with population of 5000.
Fargo has innumerable natural advan-
tages, and is destined to become-in
fact it is now-the metropolis of the
Northwest. The city, as we said be-
fore, has many fine business blocks, and
they are both ornamental and useful.
The business men are of the right class
They have any amount of faith in the
future of their city, and so we'll they
might. In improvements Fargo is not
by any means in the rear. 1t las al
ready eleven miles Of water mains. and
five miles of sewers. Its sanitary con-
diton is unexcelled, il at all equalled.
In lacks nothing in accommodations
for the weary traveller; but yet they
are not satisfied, and another hotel, to
cost 100000, will be completed in a
short space of time. Three high elec-
trio towers are lot the least attractive
feature of this promising Young city.
The principal streets are Broadway and
Front. The Mayor of Fargo is tie ge-
nial Major A. w. Edwards, not by any
means unknown to fame. The board OF
aldermen are as follows: First ward,
VIM. Aylmer Second, James Ken
nedy Third, Z. w. Darling; Fourth,
Andrew McHinch; Fifth, w. D.
Allen Sixth, A. H. HaZen. The po-
lice force is all efficient one, and would
reflect credit on far more pretentious
cities than Fargo, The Catholic popu.
lation of Fargo is 200. Their wants
are ministered to by the reyered and es-
teemed Father ID. V. Collins, pastor of
St. Ma1y's Catholic Church, corner of
Fifth avenue and PorreJ street. The
present accommodations for worship
are altogether inadequate, but this if
ficulty is about to be overcome, by the
erection of more commodious edifce.
On Sixth avenue, near st. Mary's
Church. stands st. Mary's Academy,
the Catholic convent school. 1t is in
charge of six Nuns of the Presentation
Order, and is divided into four depart
ments. This school was established in
1882, and incorporated in 1884: and has
already an average attendance of Is pu-
pills. In Catholic societies Fargo is not
behind any city of her size in the
Northwest. Here we find St. Mays
Benevolent Society, branch of the
Irish Catholic Benevolent Union of
America. In connection with st.
Mary's church is Women's Sodality
Society. The Irishmen of Fargo are
credit to the land that gave them birth.
They are not of the class that give aims
in nnh1ic Few of them If anv hava